Synergy PT's online newsletter for August 2017
THE SPECTATOR
August 2017
A High Level of Care
Right Here, at Home Welcome to our new and improved newsletter! We decided to make a few changes based on your feedback and for a few behind-the-scenes reasons. You wouldn’t know it at first glance, but creating a newsletter takes a lot of work. Just ask my husband, John! Well, we’re excited about the changes and excited to share the updated newsletter with you. Since starting the newsletter last spring, we’ve heard from a lot of you, and we wanted to say thank you! So, thank you! Thank you for your feedback, and thank you to everyone who has been attending our physical therapy workshops. We’ve enjoyed meeting a lot of new people over the summer, and we look forward to meeting more going into the fall. For now, though, we hope you enjoy the newsletter, with its articles and insights on the world of physical therapy. But most of all, we hope you learn something new along the way. This month, I wanted to talk a little bit about how I got into physical therapy. It’s a question that comes up from time to time, and I wanted to share that story. It began when I was a college freshman. I was pre-med and taking a lot of the science prerequisite classes.
At the time, I didn’t know PT was my passion. I hadn’t been exposed to it before. Then, I began doing some volunteer work, as well as work on the sidelines with student athletes. The more I worked directly with fellow students, the more I realized I loved what I was doing. It was hands-on work, and I was making a real difference. And the more I did it, the more I loved it. This led me to becoming a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) as part of my undergraduate education. From there, I went after my Master of Science degree in physical therapy, which then turned into a career. Though I’ve been practicing PT for a number of years, there is still so much to learn. The profession grows practically every day. There are new and better therapies and techniques to share, and we are always learning new things about the human body, from how people sustain injuries to how they can be effectively healed. Today, physical therapy goes beyond the idea of therapy and rehabilitation. There is an increased emphasis on health and wellness. For a greater number of patients, PT is an alternative to surgery and medication. It’s still a critical companion to certain surgeries, in terms
of rehab and restoring function, but more research is coming out that shows PT can be just as effective as surgery in some cases. It all comes down to education. One of my goals is to not only continue to learn how to treat our patients as effectively as possible, delivering a high level of care, but to educate our patients on the potential of PT. In many ways, that’s what we hope to accomplish with the newsletter. We want you to know your options and to encourage you to ask questions. We’re here to help you, your
family, your friends, and your colleagues discover a new level of care, pain relief, and healing right here at home. Kira Boyd
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Achieving Your Goals ... TOGETHER
GET POPPIN’
Shake Up Movie Night With Crazy (Healthy) Popcorn Recipes
Cinna-sugar Bliss
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health identified a connection between the chemical diacetyl, used to flavor microwave popcorn, and cases of lung disease in workers at popcorn factories. For popcorn lovers, the answer is clear: Make popcorn yourself! Pour ¼ cup of popcorn kernels into a regular brown paper bag, fold the top of the bag shut tight, then pop in microwave for about two minutes, or until popping slows to a second between pops. Voila! Fresh popcorn with no factory chemicals. If you’re craving some fun flavors, try these simple recipes:
This is a great recipe to satisfy your sweet tooth. Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of sugar to 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Drizzle onto the edges of a brown paper bag, add popped popcorn, and shake well!
Sriracha Sesame Celebration
Here’s to the adventurous popcorn lovers! Combine 1 tablespoon Sriracha, 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Sprinkle half over popcorn and shake well inside of bag. Repeat with remaining mixture. Whether you’re preparing for a movie marathon or need an after-school snack, any of these recipes will be a tasty alternative to the chemicals saturating microwave popcorn. Enjoy!
Popcorn is considered to be a fairly healthy snack by most experts, especially when compared to other salty treats, like corn chips. Unfortunately, microwave popcorn is another matter. Many popular popcorn brands use trans fats, which the Centers for Disease Control estimate are related to 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths annually. Additionally, a study from the
Traditional and Butter
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter, then drizzle it along the sides of a brown paper bag. Pour your already popped popcorn into the bag until it’s half full, close the bag tight, and shake vigorously. In no time, you’ll have perfectly buttered popcorn!
TRIGGER POINT DRY NEEDLING
What Is It and Can It Help You? Trigger point dry needling, or TDN, is a form of therapy designed to help ease subacute and chronic pain. It can be used to treat pain and muscle tension, and even to promote healing. This is a medical treatment that relies on proper medical diagnosis to be effective. During the procedure, a tiny monofilament needle is inserted into the muscle. The needle is used to release shortened bands of muscle that decrease trigger point activity. For physical therapy patients, TDN can be used to:
Frequently asked questions about TDN:
How is it different from acupuncture? The performance of modern dry needling by physical therapists is based on modern neuroanatomy. Performance of dry needling does not use traditional acupuncture theory or acupuncture terminology. Is it safe? The clean technique involves only individually packaged, single-use, sterile needles. The needles are very fine and very rarely does any bleeding occur. Where does TDN fit into my rehab plan? It is very common to initiate dry needling at the beginning of your treatment program. It may take several visits before a positive reaction occurs. Contraindications are as follows: acute trauma with hematoma, blood or circulatory disorders, Coumadin therapy or decreased coagulation, unstable bone injury, malignant
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Resolve frustrating musculoskeletal disorders. Keep you active and doing what you love. Help prevent recurrence of the initial problem. Predict results immediately based on initial response to treatment.
tumor, decreased sensation, or fear of needles. Your therapist will help determine if treatment is an option. Is it covered by my insurance? This is an elective cash-pay procedure not billable to insurance. A physician’s order or prescription is not required.
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THE TRUTH ABOUT RUNNING SHOES “The truth is there is no evidence that traditional running footwear helps decrease injury rates or improve performance”
3. Motion Control: Shoe type for severe overpronators.
Many runners assume there is a perfect shoe to fit their foot type in order to prevent the aches, pains, and injuries associated with running. This traditional model for footwear prescription, based on assumptions (not evidence) and dated thought processes, is still echoed by shoe manufacturers and shoe stores across the country. Here is a common scenario many runners experience: You need a new pair of shoes. You go to your local shoe store and seek advice from a sales associate regarding which shoe is best for you, considering your history of nagging running injuries (say, runner’s knee). They watch you walk, both with shoes off and on, and may watch you run on the treadmill. They look at the bottom of your shoes to get an idea of the wear pattern, which provides some information about your running mechanics. They look for the amount of pronation your foot undergoes while walking and running. Laughter Is the Best Medicine
Pronation is a complex series of movements at various joints in the foot that allows the arch to drop during the running cycle. There is a belief that people who pronate are not meant for running. In reality, pronation is a normal part of the running cycle and plays an important role in shock absorption and stabilization of the foot. The amount of pronation determined will put you into one of three shoe categories: 1. Neutral: Shoe type for underpronators, supinators, or neutral pronators. 2. Stability: Shoe type for mild to moderate overpronators.
You leave the store with a new pair of shoes after being classified into one of these groups. You continue running and, to your dismay, you still have knee pain. The truth is there is no evidence that traditional running footwear helps decrease injury rates or improve performance. More than two-thirds of runners suffer a running-related injury each year. Too many runners have the mindset that shoes are responsible for controlling running mechanics and preventing injury. As Jay Dicharry, renowned sports physical therapist and researcher says, “Shoes don’t stop the arch from moving, and they don’t improve the timing of your muscle control. This is your job.”
Anthony Moss Physical Therapist
COLD SOUP Avocado and Cucumber
Olive oil 2 medium ripe avocados, halved 1 large cucumber, halved 6 stalks spring onions 1 jalapeno
1 lemon, juiced ½ cup cold water 1 clove garlic ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper
1. Preheat grill to medium-high. 2. Coat halved avocados with lemon juice to avoid browning. Brush olive oil over avocados, cucumber, spring onions, and jalapeno. Oil grill while hot. 3. Grill vegetables until everything is grilled or slightly charred. Once grilled, remove and place on platter to cool.
4. Chop grilled veggies and puree with lemon juice, cold water, garlic, salt, and black pepper. 5. Once smooth, portion soup into bowls and refrigerate to cool before serving. 6. Garnish with toasted cubed bread, avocados, spring onions, chives, lemon zest, or a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
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910.238.2259
Achieving Your Goals ... TOGETHER
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
233 E Bell Fork Rd. Jacksonville, NC 28540
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We’re Here for You
Crazy (Healthy) Popcorn Recipes What Is Trigger Point Dry Needling?
The Truth About Running Shoes Avocado and Cucumber Cold Soup
How to Journal Without Journaling
Dear Diary ... How to Journal if You Don’t Like Journaling
Go Digital
Journaling is both a chance to organize your thoughts and an opportunity for therapeutic release, but traditional journaling isn’t for everyone. If you hit a wall every time you try to put pen to paper or worry you’ll have to burn your journal when you’re done, there are other ways you too can enjoy the benefits of journaling.
Apps like Day One for iOS or Journey for Android are perfect for recording your thoughts quickly. Journaling apps are as easy as scrolling down social media, but can be locked for your eyes only. Integrate written segments with photos to create entries you can reflect on from your phone, tablet, or computer. There are as many reasons to journal as there are options for alternative journaling. Whatever you decide, just make sure it’s something you’ll enjoy doing every day. Happy journaling!
Write Letters to Your Kids
Record Quotes
Framing journal entries as letters to children can help provide a starting point for you. Many parents journal like this with the intent of letting their kids one day read the letters, but that doesn’t have to be your end goal. Nor do you have to write to your kids. You can address your letters to your spouse, a close friend, your mother, or even a loved one who’s passed away.
Quotes are special because they capture a profound feeling in just a few words. By recording some of your favorite quotes, you’re able to capture those feelings and reflect on why they resonate with you. Include quotes from historical figures, books, song lyrics, something you heard waiting in line at the coffee shop, or one of the “darndest things” your kids say.
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